Sunday, March 25, 2007

I COOK STINCO!

Stinco is shin of veal or pork and is much beloved of Italians for Sunday lunch. This weekend I decided I could wait no longer to practise cooking one, for , reader, when my [Italian] knight on a white charger arrives [ and I am hourly expecting him] surely he will expect to have a plate of perfectly cooked stinco set before him on a Sunday? [I am momentarily putting aside my feminist principles here as your average courtly knight does not seem to appreciate them.]

Anyway, what you see above is a pork stinco, which I studded with sprigs of rosemary and slivers of garlic as you might a leg of lamb and roasted in [homemade] stock and olive oil according to Antonio Carluccio's instructions. This is not the only way of preparing it: I have watched friends braising such a cut, and some cooks braise it first then finish it off by roasting. Detaching the meat from the bone afterwards was not particularly easy [nor did I expect it to be] but it was very tender and I was quite pleased with myself and the aroma which pervaded the kitchen!

I linked to your site after reading your entry regarding bullying by your head teacher. I'm sorry you had to experience that level of insensivity. Then I come to your site and see all this food.

My cousins are American of Irish/Sicilian heritage and they have taught me a few dishes.

I've been on Optifast since Nov and lost over 71 inches off my BMI 73% body - it was 89% when I started.

I also identify with the picking up stakes and relocating. I've relocated to Australia at 50 from the USA with two teenagers. It was the best move.

If you wish to communicate with me, please do. I've encountered quite a bit of literature on bullying from the UK and the issue of workplace bullying and bullying of teachers is "real".

Last week we had a principal experience cyberbullying when some parents decided to post their feelings on line. The principal is on stress leave till April. That is how they tend to shelter the impact of bullying in the educational setting. They say stress leave versus bullying. It is what makes it difficult to eliminate from schools - when staff engages in the behaviour as well.

Hi WCLC,I've never heard of this one before, the name is a bit off-putting for the English, no? Still, after checking with Marcella, I just hope that white knight really appreciates all the effort this takes, when he comes. Just for the protein, let alone the primo and the contorni and the dolce. I'm sure it was delicious.Regardsjmb

It looks yummy, Welshcakes. I thought that long slow cooking would have made the meat fall off the bone; i find it does with lamb shanks - ah, re-reading I see you roasted it. Maybe braising would make it easier?

Nice to meet you, Kathleen. I've already visited your blog and I find it very interesting. I'll be back again later. I tried to email you today but it didn't work so if that happens again when I next try, I'll contact you via your blog. Fascinating to learn that you have Sicilian connections and of your own relocation. Agree with you on how they deal with staff bullying in an educational setting. Hi, JJ. Thanks for coming by. Yes, I like this way of cooking lamb, too. Ciao, jmb. Yes, the name is a bit off-putting for the English speakers, isn't it? It tasted fine, however! Lee, we think alike! Your pork dish sounds delicious. I've got the "Southern Ital " Carluccio book too - I adore his exuberance.Liz, the meat was very tender. It's just a difficult kind of thing to handle if you don't want to be serving it cooler rather than hot. [Italians do serve dishes tepid or cool btw - I'm still too British for that! - If it's meant to be hot, I want it hot!] I fight my way through the queue of knights at the door daily!Hi, James. Of course I understand. Auguri.